Lilongwe, Mangochi councils get fire engines

Creck Hardware and General Supplies has donated fire engines to Lilongwe City and Mangochi Municipal councils to strengthen their emergency responses and help protect lives and property.

The donation responds to a call by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri for the private sector to complement government efforts in national development.

Phiri (in brown suit) hoists the ribbon to mark the official handover. | Emmanuel Mainje

In his remarks during the handover in Lilongwe yesterday, Creck Hardware and General Supplies director general Apostle Clifford Kawinga said the company believed the trucks would contribute to public safety and economic development.

“When we talk about fire and emergencies, they have devastating consequences which can be so dangerous to society. We believe that if these fire trucks are used effectively, Malawi will be safe and the economy will be growing at its best,” he said.

Kawinga said government and the private sector needed to work together to advance national development, adding that as a Malawian business, Creck was giving back to the communities that contributed to its growth.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the two councils, Phiri commended the company for responding to the councils’ need for firefighting equipment, saying the trucks would enable them to respond more effectively to emergencies.

“We have been saddened several times when fire has gutted houses and we could not do anything purely because we did not have service vehicles. This donation therefore comes in handy, and we are grateful to Creck Hardware for the gesture, which will not only save the councils but will save the citizens of this country,” he said.

Mangochi Municipal Council Mayor Cassim Iman Chisuse expressed gratitude, saying the donation would improve the municipality’s response to fire emergencies.

“Lately, Mangochi has had some fire outbreaks and we used to call firefighters from Zomba,” he said.

The council’s lack of fire fighting equipment was exposed in 2018 when part of Mangochi District Hospital was gutted by a fire as they had to wait for rescue from Zomba, over 130 kilometres away.